Spotting or bleeding at any some point in time during pregnancy is common.
About 15 to 20 percent of pregnant women report varying amounts of vaginal bleeding in the first three months. Once you enter your second trimester, it becomes more unusual.
Here are some likely reasons of spotting in early pregnancy and what it implies when you bleed or spot later in your term.
Reasons for Bleeding in Pregnancy
Early Bleeding
- Implantation Bleeding – One of the least threatening reasons for light spotting in the initial weeks of your first trimester, implantation bleeding is when the fertilised egg or embryo attaches itself on the uterus wall. Sporting of this kind is light and typically stops on it s own in a few days.
- Cervicitis – A bacteria infection o f the cervix chat affects 10 to 20 percent of pregnant mothers, it can happen anytime in your trimesters. It’s easily created with a course of antibiotics.
- Lack of progesterone – In early pregnancy, ovaries produce the hormone progesterone, required for baby’s growth of the baby and to maintain overall function of the womb and its lining, up to about 12 weeks. After round about the 12th week, the placenta takes over this function of providing the hormone. In Luteal Phase Deficiency, which is when the ovaries don’t produce enough progesterone, your doctor can prescribe hormone support in the form of progesterone, folic acid, and bed rest that means you avoid sexual intercourse too.
- Lesions – Lesions or benign growths such as polyps in the cervix or vagina are common discoveries during pregnancy and sometimes, the cause of light bleeding. Your doctor will need to monitor such growths to ensure they don’t obstruct Baby’s growth or damage the womb. Some of these polyps disappear during your term, or after your pregnancy. If they don’t, your doctor may remove them surgically after your pregnancy, if necessary.
If you had sexual intercourse, bleeding is probably due to broken skin at the cervix.
5. Threatened miscarriage – Threatened but not a true miscarriage, this is common in early pregnancy. It’s important that you make an appointment with your doctor within the next few working days to do an ultrasound scan. This allows him or her a clear idea of the growth of the baby and foetal heat beat, thus advising you if your pregnancy is healthy. If neglected in the early trimesters, you risk a real miscarriage.
Later in your term
- Placenta Previa – What happens is the placenta plants itself low in the uterus, even covering the cervix, indicating a high possibility of complications later in pregnancy.
- Bleeding is usually painless and quite regular, so be alert if you notice this kind of bleeding in your last trimester.
- Placenta Abruptio – Again a rare happening in late trimester, placenta abruptio is observed in pregnant mothers with hypertension. The placenta separates from the uterus early, resulting in internal bleeding, causing abdominal pain too. Immediate medical attention is needed.
Do not ignore bleeding
Placental complications often put both mother’s and baby’s lives at risk. An early delivery is very often advised, either through induction, or if bleeding is severe and heavy, an emergency caesarean. Pay attention to painless, continuous bleeding in late trimesters or it could result in trouble for both you and baby.
Sometimes bleeding after your 37th week could mean early labour. In any case, your gynaecologist should be able to accurately indicate so, in your weekly consultations with him or her during your last four weeks of pregnancy.
